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I wished I had that. I wished⁠—

“There you are!”

I spun on my heels and smiled at the seventysomething woman in a neon-pink puffy coat, a rainbow-hued beanie covering her long gray hair.

“Aunt Rhona!” I bent to hug the petite woman. “You’re tan in the dead of winter. I’m jealous. How was Florida?”

“Better than this rotten weather. We only came back for Harry’s cardiologist appointment, but we’ll fly away again soon.” She batted her arms like a bird in a very Rhona move.

Rhona was from a bygone era. She loved tie-dyed shirts, funky jewelry, peace signs, and Cooper was convinced that she and Uncle Harry still smoked weed. Rhona had big blue eyes, sharp features, and a hearty laugh. She and Harry had lived next door to my parents since the day they’d moved in. So yeah, I’d known them my whole life.

She was not only Cooper’s aunt, but she was also my mother’s dear friend. They couldn’t have been more different. Think 1950s sitcom mom versus stereotypical hippie chick. My father had never understood their bond.

But Mom, Layla, and I loved Rhona and Harry. They were free-spirited and worldly travelers. They’d been activists and humanitarians long before it was cool. And during my teenage years, their home had been a safe space.

“I don’t blame you. There’s a storm coming later this week.”

Rhona blew a raspberry. “We’ll be sipping piña coladas at a nudist colony by then, honey.”

“Uh…”

“I’m kidding!” She held onto my elbow, pausing for a beat and adding, “About the piña coladas!”

Yeah, I believed her.

I chuckled and gently removed her hand. “Tell Uncle Harry hi for me.”

“I will. How’s your dad?”

“Not great,” I admitted.

Rhona sighed. “I’m sorry to hear that. Clark can be a real so-and-so, but under all that bluster, he’s a good man.”

For the first time that day, I thought I might lose the battle with my emotions. “Yeah,” I managed.

She smiled wanly, her gaze turning thoughtful. “I’m going to say something that’s going to sound wacky, and you’re going to think I’m bananas and coconuts, and that might be true, but here goes. While you have the chance, tell that old coot everything. Tell him you love him, tell him you’re angry, tell him you’re grateful, tell him whatever comes to mind. Free yourself. Don’t bottle it up. Trust me. That shit fucks with your brain.”

“Um, message received.”

“Good.” Rhona pointed at her cheek.

I kissed her dutifully and watched as she toddled off toward her house like a flamingo in the forest.

The cold wind was biting, just as it had been thirty years ago. And just like that, the flash of memory slammed into me.

The slide of cock through two thin layers of cotton, tingles along my spine, and the thrill of getting away with something so fucking bad, it was good. Cooper was breathing heavy in my ear, his legs locked around my ass, thrusting and pumping feverishly. I couldn’t hear clearly. My head was buzzing, and I could tell I was going to explode. I wondered if Coop was close. I didn’t want to come first. I hoped he’d remembered the paper towels this time. I hoped he⁠—

A door creaked open and a woman gasped. Loudly.

Aunt Rhona.

Cooper pushed me off him. I hit the floor with an oomph, and within less than two seconds, my monster erection was gone, and I was drenched in sweat…but not the good kind. Oh. My. Fucking. God.

This was the end. Of everything.

I was going to have to move. I’d do it before Dad kicked me out. He was definitely gonna kick me out. My little sister…shit. My mom. I wouldn’t have a family. I wouldn’t have anybody. I had two hundred bucks. That wasn’t much. Where would I go?

“You okay? She’s not gonna say anything,” Cooper assured me.